Writing - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

/ˈraɪdɪŋ/

/ˈraɪtɪŋ/

IPA guide

Other forms: writings

Writing is the act of putting pen to paper...or fingers to keyboard...or even thumbs to phone pad. Any time you record language in script, whether that's a tweet or the next great American novel, you're writing.

If you promise your first-born son to the strange lady next door, she might say, "put it in writing," which means she's probably not a witch and relies on the law to get things done, because things written down are more binding than mere speech. You can also use writing to refer to the collected work of a single author or group. You might adore the writing of Mark Twain. Or do you prefer writing about vampires?

Definitions of writing

noun
letters or symbols that are written or imprinted on a surface to represent the sounds or words of a language

“he turned the paper over so the writing wouldn't show”

“the doctor's writing was illegible”

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types:
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orthography, writing system
a method of representing the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols

coding system
a system of signals used to represent letters or numbers in transmitting messages

capitalisation, capitalization
writing in capital letters

typewriting, typing
writing done with a typewriter

printing
text handwritten in the style of printed matter

hand, handwriting, script
something written by hand

hieroglyph, hieroglyphic
writing that resembles hieroglyphics (usually by being illegible)

skywriting
writing formed in the sky by smoke released from an airplane

printing, printing process
reproduction by applying ink to paper as for publication

notation, notational system
a technical system of symbols used to represent special things

shorthand, stenography, tachygraphy
a method of writing rapidly

cursive, cursive script, longhand, running hand
rapid handwriting in which letters are set down in full and are cursively connected within words without lifting the writing implement from the paper

script
a particular orthography or writing system

spelling
forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

code
a coding system used for transmitting messages requiring brevity or secrecy

code, computer code
(computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions

picture writing
a writing system using pictographs

alphabetic script, alphabetic writing
a writing system based on alphabetic characters

boustrophedon
an ancient writing system: having alternate lines written in opposite directions; literally `as the ox ploughs'

ideography
the use of ideograms in writing

hieroglyph, hieroglyphic
a writing system using picture symbols; used in ancient Egypt

point system
a system of writing or printing using patterns of raised dots that can be read by touch

double-spacing
typing that leaves alternate lines blank

single-spacing
typing that does not leave lines blank

triple-spacing
typing that leaves two lines blank between lines of typing

touch system, touch typing
typewriting in which the fingers are trained to hit particular keys; typist can read and type at the same time

calligraphy, chirography, penmanship
beautiful handwriting

cacography, scratch, scrawl, scribble
poor handwriting

composition, typography
art and technique of printing with movable type

letterpress, relief printing
printing from a plate with raised characters

gravure, intaglio, intaglio printing
a printing process that uses an etched or engraved plate; the plate is smeared with ink and wiped clean, then the ink left in the recesses makes the print

process printing
a method of printing colored reproductions from halftone plates

planographic printing, planography
the process of printing from a surface on which the printing areas are not raised but are ink-receptive (as opposed to ink repellent)

offset, offset printing
a plate makes an inked impression on a rubber-blanketed cylinder, which in turn transfers it to the paper

carbon process
a process of printing on paper coated with bichromated gelatin containing pigment

mathematical notation
a notation used by mathematicians

musical notation
(music) notation used by musicians

choreography
a notation used by choreographers

chemical notation
a notation used by chemists to express technical facts in chemistry

type of:
black and white, written communication, written language
communication by means of written symbols (either printed or handwritten)
noun
the activity of putting something in written form

“she did the thinking while he did the writing”

synonyms: committal to writing

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coding, cryptography, secret writing, steganography
act of writing in code or cipher

handwriting
the activity of writing by hand

inscription
the activity of inscribing (especially carving or engraving) letters or words

notation
the activity of representing something by a special system of marks or characters

superscription
the activity of superscribing

stenography
the act or art of writing in shorthand

subscription
the act of signing your name; writing your signature (as on a document)

encoding, encryption
the activity of converting data or information into code

recoding
converting from one code to another

decipherment, decoding, decryption
the activity of making clear or converting from code into plain text

type of:
activity
any specific behavior
noun
the act of creating written works

“writing was a form of therapy for him”

synonyms: authorship, composition, penning

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adoxography
fine writing in praise of trivial or base subjects

drafting
writing a first version to be filled out and polished later

dramatisation, dramatization
conversion into dramatic form

fabrication, fictionalisation, fictionalization
writing in a fictional form

historiography
the writing of history

metrification
writing a metrical composition (or the metrical structure of a composition)

novelisation, novelization
converting something into the form of a novel

redaction
the act of putting something in writing

lexicography
the act of writing dictionaries

versification
the art or practice of writing verse

type of:
verbal creation
creating something by the use of speech and language
noun
the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect)

“the writing in her novels is excellent”

synonyms: piece of writing, written material

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examples:
Ayurveda
(Sanskrit) an ancient medical treatise summarizing the Hindu art of healing and prolonging life; sometimes regarded as a 5th Veda

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bowdlerisation, bowdlerization
written material that has been bowdlerized

title
(usually plural) written material introduced into a movie or TV show to give credits or represent dialogue or explain an action

cryptogram, cryptograph, secret writing
a piece of writing in code or cipher

rescript, revision, rewrite
something that has been written again

literary composition, literary work
imaginative or creative writing

literature
creative writing of recognized artistic value

literature
published writings in a particular style on a particular subject

matter
written works (especially in books or magazines)

criticism, literary criticism
a written evaluation of a work of literature

section, subdivision
a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)

paragraph
one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line

diary, journal
a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations

inscription, lettering
letters inscribed (especially words engraved or carved) on something